Fifteen people have been arrested in a heroin investigation in St. Tammany Parish that began in 2014. Twelve more people are sought in the case.

Authorities in St. Tammany Parish said the investigation, code-named "Operation Fishnet," began after they received information of a loosely organized group responsible for distributing heroin in the western part of the parish.

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The Narcotics Taskforce, comprised of investigators with the Sheriff’s Office, Covington Police Department and Mandeville Police Department, began a 14-month-long investigation that came to an end Friday morning with the arrest of 15 suspects.

“During the course of the investigation, detectives learned that a Mandeville area resident, Scottie D. Fisher, was distributing large quantities of heroin to persons in both Tangipahoa and St. Tammany parishes, who in turn would facilitate the distribution of the heroin on his behalf,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Authorities said that in order to identify the co-conspirators of Fisher’s alleged organization, the Narcotics Taskforce enlisted the assistance of its partners from the Louisiana State Police, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Branch, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Arrest warrants were obtained for 18 suspects in St. Tammany Parish and six suspects in Tangipahoa Parish.

Investigators also obtained two search warrants for homes in St. Tammany Parish and one search warrant for the Mirage Barber Shop in Tangipahoa Parish.

After executing the warrants, detectives arrested 12 of the 24 wanted persons.

Three other individuals, who were not originally targets of the investigation, were also arrested Friday, officials said.

The three people were arrested on charges stemming from a follow up investigation related to Operation Fishnet.

Detectives said they seized five vehicles, several thousand dollars in cash and several hundred pills of pain medication.

Detectives are searching for the remaining suspects. Several of the wanted suspects have made arrangements to turn themselves in, authorities said.